


Ed Returns

by straeon



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Jealousy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-03-09
Packaged: 2018-03-17 02:44:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3512267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/straeon/pseuds/straeon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What it says on the tin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ed Returns

**Author's Note:**

> This was written before Robert and Chrissie married, though they are married in this, so the whole Katie plot's ignored.

“So Mrs, Ms, whatever, Kelley wants to see me about Lachlan tomorrow after school,” Chrissie said, exasperated. They were walking through the village to The Woolpack.

“Don’t worry about it,” Robert tried to be sympathetic though Lachlan had been acting up worse than usual as of late. “Do you want me to talk to Lachlan about it?”

“No… but it would be nice if you came with me tomorrow?”

Robert grimaced at the thought of walking into a school again or talking to a teacher. But this was the life he’d chosen and he wanted to help make things easier for Chrissie when she was clearly stressed by her son.

“Of course,” Robert said, hiding his dread.

“Oh, you’re an angel,” Chrissie smiled, though her eyes were still worried. As she reached up to hug Robert, he couldn’t help but think of how untrue her words were.

“Come on,” Robert said softly as they separated and continued towards the pub.

As Chrissie walked ahead of him, Robert’s breath caught at the sight some yards away. Not dissimilar to his usual reaction to seeing Aaron around the village, especially in the last many weeks when Aaron had been avoiding even talking to him. Robert had made his choice. He couldn’t blame Aaron. But he missed him and seeing him and not being able to do anything was hard.

This was worse though. Aaron wasn’t alone and Robert didn’t recognize the man he was with. But he was attractive and smiling at Aaron as they walked very closely together. Robert couldn’t help but think he probably smiled at Aaron that way sometimes. If they were together, it was more than a one night stand, Robert realised as his heart lurched.

“Robert!” Chrissie called to him. For a moment, Robert’s eyes met Aaron, who had realised Robert’s presence and furrowed his brow. Robert looked away, sighing at the difference in Aaron’s countenance form looking at the man next to him and looking at him.

“Sorry,” he said, walking ahead of Chrissie and ignoring Aaron’s eyes on him.

 

In the pub, Robert tried to focus on Chrissie and Diane’s conversation but he couldn’t help wondering who Aaron had been with. And what did the look between them mean? He knew Aaron was mad at him and hurt, understandably, but at least that meant he felt something still. If he was moving on, Robert feared there would be no hope for them to rekindle what they had. Even when he was trying to be a husband to Chrissie and forget about Aaron, he did miss what they had, when they were alone and entirely involved in each other.

“What do you think, honey?” Chrissie’s voice invaded Robert’s musings.

“Um,” Robert shrugged. “I agree with you.” Usually the right thing to say.

“You weren’t listening, were you?” Chrissie saw through his bullshit too well. It was nearly too bad for her that she had too kind a soul to see the worst in her husband.

“I – sorry,” Robert gave in. “I’m just tired.”

“Oh, it’s okay darling, I know you’ve been busy.” Chrissie placed a hand on Robert’s arm and gave him a comforting smile. Robert had known from the start she was too good for him but he especially felt a pang of guilt when she was comforting him and he had been thinking of someone else. As usual, he pushed that to the back of his head and returned to the role of the doting husband.

“I’ll leave you two for a minute,” Diane said, as she went to serve someone who’d just come in.

As Robert was just warming up and Chrissie was entirely forgetting his strange behaviour, he started as the man Diane was serving turned to observe his surroundings. It was the man Aaron had been walking with earlier. His removal of his coat proved to Robert he was even more attractive than he thought earlier, with chiselled muscles and a strong jawline. His dark features and body were quite perfect and his voice as he gave his order was deep.

Chrissie grew puzzled again by Robert’s stuttering but he was saved from more questions by Diane returning, smiling seemingly from her interaction with the stranger.

“Who’s that?” Robert couldn’t stop himself from asking. Chrissie frowned.

“Oh, that’s Ed. Used to live around here. Moved to France to play rugby.” Diane stressed the last sentence, clearly impressed by him and expecting Robert and Chrissie to be too. And though Robert wasn’t into rugby, he wasn’t surprised from the man’s physique that he was in sports.

“Chrissie, you were telling me about the newest salon you opened,” Diane sat down next to her. Robert was glad things were getting easier lately, with his family getting along even, but still he wasn’t as happy as he should be.

“Oh, yeah,” Chrissie turned from Robert, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly at Diane. “It was stressful but worth it, I think.”

“Good on you,” Diane said. “For not relying on your dad, I mean.”

“Thank you,” Chrissie smiled humbly.

Robert was about to re-join the conversation to sing Chrissie’s praises and get back on her good side when Aaron walked in and joined the – Ed.

Robert’s eyes widened as he suddenly recalled Aaron had mentioned an ‘Ed’ once. They hadn’t really gone into detail about their past relationships, when Aaron had stopped wanting to see Robert after the wedding, but Ed had definitely been an ex of Aaron’s. It wasn’t necessarily the same Ed…

Ed was sliding his arm behind the booth, moving closer to Aaron as they talked closely.

It was probably the same Ed.

And Robert was sure he would have no chance if they got back together. Rugby player, successful, so attractive Robert would probably have tried flirting with him himself if he’d met him when he was single.

Aaron and Ed were on the other side of the pub and Robert tried to keep his eyes off them but when he looked at Chrissie, he could see them over her shoulder – he was failing. Chrissie was probably annoyed at his silence as she spoke only to Diane now and Ed had looked over in his direction a couple of times.

At least Aaron was turned away from him. But not entirely – Robert could still see him smiling at Ed. His stubble was short and he’d recently got a haircut; it seemed like he’d made an effort to meet him, though he was still wearing a dark t shirt and hoody. Robert sighed, remembering the times he’d slowly moved his hands up along Aaron’s back, removing his shirt slowly between passionate kisses. Then he remembered the times he’d practically ripped his clothes off of him. Those were if it wasn’t one of the times they’d been so desperate for each other’s touch they’d half removed their own clothes before falling into bed or into the back of a car together…

As Ed and Aaron’s laughter filled the near empty pub, Robert couldn’t help wonder if Ed’s hands had similarly been all over Aaron last night… If he’d stayed in his bed.

“Sorry,” Robert mumbled, getting up. “Bathroom.” Diane and Chrissie frowned at each other at his sudden departure.

 

As Robert leaned forward over the sink, with cold water he’d splashed in his face dripping from him, he felt like a right cliché. The queer man torn between his wife and male lover, who then goes out and finds someone better while he can’t find satisfaction from his home life any more…

He sighed and closed his eyes. It was all his own stupid fault.

The door closed behind him and Robert jumped, eyes flying open.

It was Aaron, he saw behind him in the mirror. Robert sighed. Despite himself, he was pleased to see him, especially as he had a shy smile on his face.

“Alright?” Aaron leaned back on the wall, sheepishly.

“Not really,” Robert answered. Aaron already knew the answer anyway. “You? And… Ed?” He said his name with distaste.

“How’d you know his name?” Aaron smirked.

“Diane,” Robert looked down, knowing he’d seemed childish to immediately bring him up.

“Well… he’s fine other than wondering why this weird guy keeps looking at him.”

“He called me weird? Charming.”

“No, that’s me… calling you weird.” Aaron shrugged.

Robert turned around and leaned back, hands in his pocket and heart in his throat as he looked at Aaron. He was just feet away from him. A few steps forward and…

“Yeah, how’s that?”

“I dunno… Maybe it’s the… going to the pub with your wife, spending all your time watching men,” Aaron shook his head at Robert.

“He’s your ex, right?” Robert couldn’t not know.

“Yeah.”

“Just your ex?”

“What’s it to you, Robert?” Aaron pushed himself off the wall with a huff. “You’re married. And that’s what you want, isn't it?”

Robert couldn't answer.

“He stayed with you though, right?”

“Yeah, he did,” Aaron answered, directly. “Shouldn’t I get to be with someone too?”

“Of course,” Robert said. But he still only wanted Aaron to be with him. “And he’s… fit.”

“Yeah, he is,” Aaron nodded. “And he’s a good guy. He wouldn’t mess me about. And he wouldn’t leave me for someone else.”

“Great. I hope you’ll be very happy together.” Robert turned around to wash his hands, for no reason other than to look away.

“Like you and Chrissie?” Aaron said, seriously. He wasn’t trying to hurt him, though Robert knew he’d deserve that.

But Aaron knew that as much as Robert had fought and lied for his perfect life, after all of that, he wasn’t satisfied with it. He wasn’t happy. Not without Aaron.

Robert avoided Aaron’s eyes as he dried his hands – he couldn’t trust himself to not do something stupid. And deep down, he knew, Aaron did deserve someone better.

“Robert,” Aaron said, getting suddenly serious. “No matter what’s going on with us… I do care about you. It’s obvious you’re not happy.”

Robert didn’t know what to say. He’d missed the other man’s maturity, of which he was himself lacking.

“Okay.” Apparently accepting that Robert wasn’t going to confide in him, he turned to the door.

“Wait.”

Robert had no idea what to say to him or what to do. He just knew he couldn’t bear the thought of him returning to that man. And he wanted to stay with him in his presence as long as he could make that happen.

Aaron sighed and turned back around.

“Ed is waiting for me. And Chrissie’s waiting for you.”

Aaron was right.

But that didn’t stop him from inwardly going fuck it and closing the space between himself and Robert. He pulled Robert against him by the back of his head to lean up and press his lips on his.

“Mm,” Robert was caught by surprise but quickly moved his arms around Aaron as they both entirely absorbed themselves in each other, forgetting their surroundings of a dirty men’s toilets in a pub.

Aaron broke the kiss, as Robert couldn’t help but try and pull him back, his hand on Aaron’s face now.

“I’m not with Ed,” Aaron breathed against Robert, their faces still only inches apart.

“But I’m not going to be with you while you’re with Chrissie,” Aaron continued, sobering Robert’s feeling of relief. “She doesn’t deserve it and neither do I.”

“But, Aaron, I-“ Robert placed his forehead against Aaron’s.

“And you don’t deserve this either.” Aaron said.

With that, Aaron pulled away from him, to Robert’s regret, and walked out.

Robert turned back around to his reflection.

“You’re such an idiot.” He told it, leaning back to wash his face again.

He continued to tell himself that as he returned to Chrissie. Returned to his role of the husband, step-father and step-son even as the holes of his façade were growing and multiplying with increasing speed.


End file.
